Today we decided to visit a garden, the Parc Floral de la Source. The Loiret River emerges out of the ground in the middle of the park. Should be interesting and in 2000 it was inscribed on UNESCO'S World Heritage List. Wasn't going to take long to get there as Orleans only tram line goes just about past the front gate.
Theory is all and good. Lots of what would have been gracious houses once line the back streets.
We walk the short distance across to the nearest tram stop and there is a tram coming and going our way. Luck is with us. Quickly figure out how to purchase a ticket and luck is still with us as the tram is still here so on we hop. Off it goes back the way it came, north, not south the way we want to go. Now we are puzzled as there are two set of tracks, one for south, one for north. Oh well, I guess we will just see a bit more of Orleans. Arrived at the end of the line and were the only ones left on and the driver changed ends and looked at us a bit puzzled. Looked approachable so we asked him how our tickets worked (hop on and off for one hour) an how come we went the wrong way. He laughed and said we had got on at the last stop before the works where they are joining up a new line and when we got back we had to walk two stops and then another tram would take us south to where we wanted to go. I don't think he had met any Australians before. Very pleasant fellow.
Back and going the right way this time. Arrived at the gardens to find most of it just a bit past it's heyday. It belonged to a chateau which had been taken over by a university.
The miniature train line hadn't been operating for some time. The great aviary was in a mess, worse than ours. The rock garden needed work. The ice cellar was blocked off. Part of the garden was shut off. The kiosk didn't exist. That said the parts that were maintained were in pretty good nick and very pleasant.
They even had a animal section for the kids. Here the Guinea pigs had a good run.
It was just a pity they hadn't updated the A4 size guide to tell you where everything now was and what you could see. It was like a lot of attractions we have seen over here. Ten or even twenty years ago they must have been immensely popular.
Found the dahlia beds in a different part and it was good.
Still a few bumble bees about.
The rose garden hadn't walked but was past it's best flowering time, pity. As was the very large iris section.
Even had a fuchsia section but the arty types had been at work here.
Also here but interesting.
Annette's leading me up the garden path here, well steps.
The shape garden. Ahem, here the trees pruned in the form of clouds awakens the imagination...and here I always thought it was only a few old foreigners in Melbourne that pruned their whole gardens in this manner. Silly me, now I know they are inspired by the tradition of Zen gardens and I had better sharpen the hedge trimmer at home.
Overall the gardens were pleasant to stroll around and the river just coming up out of a hole in the ground was like you had just dug a dam and the whole bottom of it had collapsed and water was surging out.
Back into Orleans itself and back to the motel where we found out that there are no coin operated laundries here. I can only assume that they keep getting vandalised and have all closed down as there have been plenty in the smaller towns. Nothing for it but a big sink wash and clothes hanging by our walking sticks across the open window to dry. Tent ground sheet washed in the large shower and hung up there to dry. Off for an ordinary dinner served by a disinterested waiter and we would have been better off to have gone to McDonalds.
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